# Am I being paranoid?



## Smoked (Apr 12, 2007)

I just got these in. They are Punch Coronas from 1999. I have never had a box with this much room inside and there is some sort of fuzzy powder on the foot of one of the cigars. I have not had time to check anything else because I am at work. I plan to measure the length of the cigars as well. They smell pretty damned good but this just looks wrong to me. I suppose that I am really just fishing for someone to say, "they are fine" and put my mind at ease. So, am I just being paranoid?

This probably should have gone in the Habanos Forum. My mistake. Mods, if you could move it that would be great. Thanks.


----------



## Slow Triathlete (Jun 14, 2007)

I've noticed that some boxes have extra room. I think that some manufacturers use the same box for multiple lines.

As far as that growth, that looks a little suspect. If I were you, I would chuck that one and then throw the rest in the freezer for a bit. Then bring them back up to room temp and then place them back in the humidor to come back up to RH. This will be a long process because I"m sure that you are eager to smoke one.

If you can't wait you could always just chuck that one and then hope for the best. You're taking a big risk with this choice though.


----------



## jonnylou (Apr 12, 2007)

look good to me. smoke away and enjoy:cb


----------



## zmdegeor (Jan 24, 2008)

I don't know the name of that powder but I know its a REALLY GOOD THING. It means that they have been aged really well. Just wipe it off and enjoy.


----------



## cryinlicks (Jan 3, 2007)

If it's not mold, it's plume. but from what I know, plume should only appear on the wrapper. If it is fuzzy, and comes off relatively easily, it's mold.


----------



## Harpo (Oct 11, 2007)

Ah, the famous NC Punch. 

I'm not an expert by any means, but the first thing that struck me was the uneven label positioning across the cigars, as well as differing lengths. Also the fact that there is a large gap between the foot and the box, and a few sticks seem to have considerable difference in girth. Normally the labels should line up exactly all along the box, and the cigars should sit snugly inside and be of equal length and girth.

But if you got them from a trusted, established vendor I wouldn't worry about it.

But like I said, I'm no expert... just my :2


----------



## Darrell (Aug 12, 2007)

I agree with Harpo. Their is a definite size difference in these sticks and that seems to be quite the gap. I guess RH could have caused some sticks to swell and not others, or the problem could be with the legitimacy of the product and nothing more. Hard to tell, but if you know you got them from a repituble source, then don't worry about it and enjoy them.


----------



## hotreds (Dec 4, 2007)

Source is the key!


----------



## JCK (Nov 9, 2006)

can you take a macro shot of the one foot with the white stuff on it? That looks very concentrated. seems like there would be more spots on the cigar. It almost looks like a square piece of paper in the photo.


----------



## Smoked (Apr 12, 2007)

khubli said:


> can you take a macro shot of the one foot with the white stuff on it? That looks very concentrated. seems like there would be more spots on the cigar.


I'll have to get my camera from home. Anyway, it does not look like mold to me at all. It actually has a bit of a yellow shade to it.


----------



## avid toker (Dec 4, 2006)

hard to say from the pics. trust your vendor and if you're not satisfied with the product, contact your vendor and communicate your dissatisfaction accordingly. if they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee, then you'll be able to return it should you decide to.


----------



## Sean9689 (Nov 9, 2005)

avid toker said:


> hard to say from the pics. trust your vendor and if you're not satisfied with the product, contact your vendor and communicate your dissatisfaction accordingly. if they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee, then you'll be able to return it should you decide to.


:tpd:

If you can't trust your vendor, you shouldn't be buying from them.


----------



## hamncheese (Oct 5, 2006)

I have an incredibly strong hunch as to where you may have gotten these. The powder (which is almost certainly mold), is no problem at all. Wipe it off, smoke em, enjoy em. If it's on the foot, use your cutter creatively. 

As for the box, also no big deal. So long as all the cigars are uniformly size and consistent with other coronas that you have, don't sweat the box. Handmade product is very imprecise.


----------



## bobarian (Oct 1, 2007)

Does the spot come off? My first thought was that is was a piece of cotton from the bale of tobacco?


----------



## bonggoy (Mar 9, 2006)

*Variance in RG size *- I've seen this in older boxes. Pretty normal I think.

*White Stuff -* Might me mold, might be plume. Although I've never seen plume from cigars ROTT (I am assuming you just got this). Granted I only buy freshies so my previous statement means squat. In any case, gently wipe them whities away. If goes away your good. If they stay, uh oh. If the whities move, I want whatever you are smoking. 

Btw, nice dark wrapper.


----------



## tchariya (Feb 26, 2007)

I've gotten two sizes of San Cristobals and they used the same box, just one had some square white tubular thing at the foot to fill in the gap.

If you know the source to be legit...then it should be otherwise call them and explain.

You could send them to me for further inspection. :cb


----------



## Sandman (Mar 26, 2006)

You're fine. Wipe off the mold and relax.


----------



## kheffelf (Jul 31, 2006)

They're fake, well unless you got them from a source you trust, than there is no reason to question. But if you didn't get a from source you trust then they are fake.


----------



## Smoked (Apr 12, 2007)

My main concern was how there is so much space between the cigars and the box. The source is pretty solid and I have purchased from them quite a few times in the past. I have just never seen this before.


----------



## burninator (Jul 11, 2006)

These are from '99? Doesn't that say a little something about the variation in size and quality?


----------



## stashu (Aug 12, 2006)

You know, just 'cause you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.


----------



## Smoked (Apr 12, 2007)

stashu said:


> You know, just 'cause you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.


----------



## Airborne RU (Oct 7, 2006)

I think you are fine. That is unless you smoke one and the flavor is all wrong, then you see the black helicopters on the horizon. . .


----------



## The Professor (Jul 20, 2006)

Smoked said:


> My main concern was how there is so much space between the cigars and the box. The source is pretty solid and I have purchased from them quite a few times in the past. I have just never seen this before.


quit worrying about that. it happens. it's Cuba ... and they were especially "special" in 99 and 2k, imhe.



burninator said:


> These are from '99? Doesn't that say a little something about the variation in size and quality?


yes it does.


----------



## SmokinApe (Jun 20, 2007)

What is the box code and serial number?


----------



## bonggoy (Mar 9, 2006)

I would keep it and not smoke it. In 50 years that will be a shining example of the legendary 1999 to 2001 Cuban cigar consistency.


----------



## Smoked (Apr 12, 2007)

I'll post the box codes and stuff when I get home from work. I have them stored in a 1 box capacity humidor right now. My damned cooler is bursting at the seems and I have two more boxes on the way.


----------



## JCK (Nov 9, 2006)

Smoked said:


> I'll post the box codes and stuff when I get home from work. I have them stored in a 1 box capacity humidor right now. My damned cooler is bursting at the seems and I have two more boxes on the way.


Time to get to smokin! :]


----------



## Smoked (Apr 12, 2007)

khubli said:


> Time to get to smokin! :]


I'll just wind up buying more to compensate.


----------



## daniyal (Oct 9, 2007)

They look like cubans but then again I've never seen such a huge gap in a box though you never know with all the stringent quality control measures on the island.


----------



## DeadMansHand (Nov 7, 2007)

burninator said:


> These are from '99? Doesn't that say a little something about the variation in size and quality?


That was my first thought. From my experience, limited as it may be, they look fine. Wipe 'em down and light one up.:tu


----------

